Can we talk acoustic guitars?

I really like acoustic guitars. But I don't own one... anymore. I've owned a few but I haven't found "the one." I've been loooking at a lot of acoustics lately and I've found a few the sound alright. But they all look like they're made of cheap wood and then have some laminate on the top or a heavy coat of paint. Are there good cheaper options? What should I look for? What do you like? Give me all your acoustic opinions

Bonus, post a pic of your acoustic guitar, because who doesn't like sweet guitar pics?

Mr. Lumberghneeds you to go ahead and come in on Sunday, too.Strat-Talk Supporter

Hit the used market. There are a lot of great instruments from makers such as Alvarez, Takamine, or Sigma (if you can find them), and I'm sure other members will chime in with their suggestions as well.
I don't have a pic, but I do have an older Sigma that's in storage awaiting a refret and some other work. My current "acoustic" is a semi-hollow Gretsch that I happen to like the acoustic sound of enough to want to install an acoustic-style piezo bridge on; I actually just logged on for that specific reason, to order the parts.
But you're absolutely right, nobody dislikes sweet guitar pics.

There's a section for Acoustics here but it isn't all that busy.
You don't mention a budget... but I'd add Yamaha and Seagull to the list for good affordable guitars. There's certainly more. Actually, if you can try guitars, try everything in your price range - and a little above it.

Acoustics have more variation between individual instruments than electrics, so ideally you should try the exact one that you might want to buy.

I wouldn't consider myself a full blown acoustic guy but more of a folk roots type... "House of the Rising Sun" and what not. The most acoustic fun I have are with decent sounding "budget" models that I can bang around / pass around wherever with. These days it's with a Seagull Rustic S6 that I bought on sale for $250. Features include, 24.8 scale ,solid cedar top , silver leaf maple neck ,wild cherry ply back and sides. I think the scale and cedar top give it a slightly softer / broken in sound.

OP: I didn't have an acoustic for 25 years---but lately I've been doing a lot of solo sets and open mics.
I needed a guitar that sounded decent without spending a crapload of money. My choice was a midrange-price
Takamine. It's been a good choice for me.

Ive own sosme cheap or mid priced acoustic guitars... Gianinni, Stagg, Takamine. Out of those the Tak was the best no doubt about it.

I sold them all eventually and got an Epiphone AJ220SCE, with soild top and laminated back and sides that sounds nice acoustically, but the pickup is not the best Ive heard... That Epi is for sale right now.

Recently (well not so much, like 6 months or so) I got this one used and I think I found the one... its a Taylor 214CE and I love every bit of it.

I've got a thin-bodied, bolt-neck Peavey Ecoustic from about 1992 that I've had since new with a single-piece mahagony back. It's not loud and really meant to be amp'ed, but I really love the feel of it and how it records and came with a really nice active pickup.

Here's Amazing Grace recorded on it. I mention this b/c, for me, an acoustic still needs to be simple to set up and record in a home studio - where mic'ing isn't always an option.

I've got a thin-bodied, bolt-neck Peavey Ecoustic from about 1992 that I've had since new with a single-piece mahagony back. It's not loud and really meant to be amp'ed, but I really love the feel of it and how it records and came with a really nice active pickup.

Here's Amazing Grace recorded on it. I mention this b/c, for me, an acoustic still needs to be simple to set up and record in a home studio - where mic'ing isn't always an option.

I've also got a Peavey acoustic, about a decade younger than yours. They're apparently huge underdogs. People pick mine up and play it, and are completely astounded by how good it feels and sounds. They definitely need a good setup, but once that's done, it's like a whole new guitar.

I've also got a Peavey acoustic, about a decade younger than yours. They're apparently huge underdogs. People pick mine up and play it, and are completely astounded by how good it feels and sounds. They definitely need a good setup, but once that's done, it's like a whole new guitar.

Click to expand...

Interesting. I thought they only made them for two or three years. And yes, very much an underdog.

... The most acoustic fun I have are with decent sounding "budget" models that I can bang around / pass around wherever with. ...

Click to expand...

This might be off-topic but occasionally a guitar can be great fun even if it is not decent

I have a guitar-shaped-object that cannot be tuned well enough to play more than one chord in tune. Sometimes I take it out and play something bluesy, bending, snapping and popping the strings - partly hoping that it will break. It hasn't broken yet but I get giggles out of the noises that come out of it.

Ive own sosme cheap or mid priced acoustic guitars... Gianinni, Stagg, Takamine. Out of those the Tak was the best no doubt about it.

I sold them all eventually and got an Epiphone AJ220SCE, with soild top and laminated back and sides that sounds nice acoustically, but the pickup is not the best Ive heard... That Epi is for sale right now.

Mr. Lumberghneeds you to go ahead and come in on Sunday, too.Strat-Talk Supporter

I've also got a Peavey acoustic, about a decade younger than yours. They're apparently huge underdogs. People pick mine up and play it, and are completely astounded by how good it feels and sounds. They definitely need a good setup, but once that's done, it's like a whole new guitar.

Click to expand...

Folks seem to have that reaction to Peavey a lot, and they've been having it for over 40 years... I'm not sure why they're always the underdog.